Reasons for Designation
Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments
dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most
examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as
earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple
burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often
acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar,
although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form
and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl
barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring
across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are
a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable
variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of
protection.
Details
The monument includes a Bronze Age bowl barrow situated in the south east
corner of the garden at Beechbarrow, located on high ground at the eastern
edge of the Mendip Hills. The mound of the barrow is slightly irregular in
plan with an approximate diameter of 20m and a maximum height of 2m. The
barrow was identified by an early 20th century field worker as a possible bell
barrow with an off-centre mound surrounded by a level berm.
It is now considered more likely that the barrow was a bowl type and its
original profile had been disturbed by the planting of beech trees on and
around the mound which created the spurious impression of a bell barrow. In
common with other barrows in the area, the mound is surrounded by a ditch from
which material was quarried during its construction. This has become infilled
over the years but is likely to survive as a buried feature up to 2.5m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
34864
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
